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reHub is an initiative presented -and designed- by Mauro Alfieri and Sara Savian at the OpenCare event at CERN Idea Square earlier this year.

A reHub glove is a tool designed for rehabilitation to recover movement fluidity after an injury.

This will help physiotherapists and their patients monitor rehabilitation of the hand. It allows the patient to record and report exercise data such as hand position, finger flexion, and fingertips pressure.

Technology that captures movement and transfers data.

Presenting reHub @ CERN

Recorded data are displayed through a software that reproduces a 3D hand and its movements. Through the software, a physiotherapist is able to evaluate and adjust the therapeutic process. reHub exercises can be done remotely or in the presence of a physiotherapist.

The patient’s strengths, weaknesses, and range of motion will adjust automatically. This ensures the patient continues to stay challenged and at the same time, creating a positive, encouraging environment. The system monitors the data over time and generates progress reports, allowing physiotherapists to design specific rehabilitation schedules. This glove will provide an opportunity for rehabilitation through technological innovation regardless of geographical location.

reHub glove is the result of collaboration between electronics enthusiasts, physical therapists and hand rehabilitation patients to find a way to solve the problem of monitoring the progress during rehabilitation therapy. This project is early in the development stage with a functioning prototype and will start working with users and creating experiments.

The Journey

Mauro Alfieri, IT consultant and developer discovered his passion for Computer Science and Programming at an early age. This combination of knowledge enabled him to build his first model of a robotic arm. The urge to realize digital fabrication projects presented itself when he joined WeMake Milan’s Makerspace in 2014. Sharing knowledge and being able to make real products with the community was the first step that led to wearable technologies.

Sara Savian, Fashion Designer, studied design at the Polyechnic University of Milan and textile design at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, Sara worked in the field of social and ethical fashion. In 2014 Sara collaborated with WeMake where she developed the project Digital Fashion, which she presented at Maker Faire Rome. During this time she had the opportunity to meet Mauro Alfieri who was also collaborating at WeMake, Milan’s Makerspace. With a blend of design and engineering, they developed wearable technology.

Sara, a passionate maker of wearable technologies has realized the glove and designed the position of sensors, and power to make the glove comfortable to wear with a captivating design. The reHub project is a collaboration between members to demonstrate what can be built by combining multidisciplinary skills.

Our experience at Deep Games Workshops was intense. Our project was the “youngest” and the most technical: for us, it was very insightful to understand the medical atmosphere. We discovered our weaknesses, and what we needed to do to bring the project to the next level. –Sara Savian

What’s next?

The team is seeking to work with a community of users to test their system and provide feedback, as well as continuing to "improve the system and the sensors to make it easier to create different sizes of the glove, said Savian. reHub will be making this tool open-source and available for modification with an updated version available in August 2017. reHub is creating a community of shared knowledge and development with a broader view of use for the glove and will start working within the European project OpenCare. Subscribe to follow their development.

Hubotics is an initiative presented -and designed- by Luca Randazzo at the OpenCare Deep Games event at CERN earlier this year.

There are various devices used for limb rehabilitation and physical therapy. However, the availability of these devices is limited, expensive and located in healthcare centers. Patients that require daily physical therapy this is a significant obstacle in receiving the care that is needed.

The story

Luca started Hubotics in 2013 after the completion of his Master’s in Computer Science and Robotics. His motivation stemmed from his sister’s experience and family challenges with motor disability. Luca remembers his parents traveling back and forth between clinics and buying expensive devices.

“I realized that achievement of independence through the use of one’s own body is one of the most gratifying experiences, that’s how the idea of creating an exoskeleton to be used in everyday life was born” -Luca Randazzo

Combining technical skills as an engineer and his passion for developing accessible technologies to alleviate suffering, created the pathway for the creation of Hubotics, a low-cost wearable exoskeleton, adaptable to the patient for shoulder and elbow rehabilitation, stimulates muscles and nerves with repetitive motion. The 3D printed prototype uses Arduino electronics and a smartphone, can be programmed by a physician or a physiotherapist for specific movements. The progress of the user is then collected and analyzed to monitor or improve therapy.

Moving Forward

Hubotics is early in the development stage, currently modifying designs to achieve a concept that is usable while maximizing customizability and accessibility.

Test users of the exoskeleton provide feedback for improvements of the prototype. Co-creation in care enables the effectiveness of the overall process while leveraging a mutually valued outcome of healthcare.

Open source design and the use of accessible technology, assure future versions of the device will remain economically viable and available to a large community of people in need.

To support Hubotics, or contribute to its development, please use the contact form on this blog or email foundation@scimpulse.org